Fiber cleaner



' May 3, 1960 J. l. KOTTER ETAL FIBER CLEANER Filed Aug. 19, 1958 INVENTOR. J.l. KOTTER M. MAYER JR.

9 4 hmw FIBER CLEANER James I. Kotter, Metairie, and Mayer Mayer, In, New Orleans, La., assiguors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture Application August 19, 1958, Serial No. 756,049

1 Claim. (Cl. 19-58) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266) A non-exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free license in the invention herein described, throughout the world for all purposes of the United States Government, with the power to grant sublicenses for such purposes, is hereby granted to the Government of the United States of America.

This invention relates to a fiber cleaner intended for use in the separation of trash from fibers, particularly cotton, and is a variation from the cleaner described in application Ser. No. 696,002, filed November 12, 1957, Patent No. 2,867,850, the particular varied portion of the cleaner relating to the fiber-trash separating conduit, in which the fibers and trash are divided and are carried from the fiber processing and dofier cylinder to the trash box.

For a description of the invention in detail reference is made to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section showing the varied fibertrash separating conduit of the cleaner in full line, and showing features of the cleaner corresponding to Patent No. 2,867,850 schematically in dotted line;

Fig. 2 is a three-dimensional view of the varied fibertrash separating conduit per se; and

Fig. 3 is a three-dimensional view of a modified fibertrash separating conduit per se.

The rotatable fiber processing cylinder and the rotatable dotfer cylinder 11, mounted parallel to and adjacent the processing cylinder, enclosed in housing 13, correspond in structure and function to the corresponding parts of Patent No. 2,867,850.

The improved fiber-trash separating conduit of the present invention is provided with rectangular shaped entrance 16 adjacent the processing and dofling cylinders into which the trash and fibers from the cylinders feed. From the entrance, the conduit is curved towards the discharge 17, thus to impart a centrifugal force to the fibers and trash as they flow through the conduit. Due to the fact that the trash is heavier than the fibers the trash is propelled outwardly with the greater force and seeks a path along the outer curved portion of the conduit while the fibers tend to flow through the inner portion, thus dividing the trash and fibers into separate streams.

, The opposite sides 18 and 19 of the conduit diverge towards the discharge 17 while the other opposite sides 20 and 21 converge, as illustrated in the drawing, the construction being such that the cross sectional area of the conduit is substantially the same at the entrance as at the discharge, thus to maintain essentially a constant 2 ,934,793 Patented May 3, 1960 velocity of the airflow to the entrance and the discharge end.

In the embodiment of Fig. 2, the cross sectional configuration is rectangular throughout the length of the conduit, this providing a simple construction. It has been found, however, that with this construction there is a tendency for the air velocity to be greater in the central portion of the conduit, especially at the discharge, than near the sides. This variation in air velocity results in a somewhat less uniform distribution of the trash and fibers across the face of the discharge as they emerge from the conduit.

The construction of the embodiment of Fig. 3 is such as to avoid the greater air velocity at the central portion of the conduit. Uniformity of velocity is accomplished by diminishing the vertical dimension of the conduit from the sides towards the centers, as illustrated in the drawing. With such construction the sides 25 and 26 are made to lie parallel for a short distance from the discharge as illustrated at 27 and 28 thus to diminish turbulance of the air flow as it leaves the conduit.

The fibers are discharged into trash box 22 which communicates with entrance 24 of the low pressure conduit 30, leading to a suction fan (not shown). An ad justable rectangular divider 31 is provided in the trash box for dividing the stream of trash from the stream of fibers.

The structure and function of the trash box and associate parts correspond in structure and function to the corresponding parts of Patent No. 2,867,850.

The design of the fiber-trash separating conduit transfers a relative narrow and thick mass of trash and fibers at entrance 16 into a much wider and thinner mass at the discharge 17. Thus a much wider trash box and divider 31 may be used with a given dimension of the cleaning and dofler cylinders 10 and 11.

We claim:

A fiber-cleaner comprising a rotatable fiber processing cylinder and a rotatable dofling cylinder mounted parallel and adjacent the processing cylinder, a fiber-trash separating conduit having its entrance adjacent the processing and dofiing cylinders into which air flows for conveying the trash and fibers from the processing and dofiing cylinders, the conduit being generally rectangular and curved towards the discharge end thus to impart a centrifugal force to the fibers and trash as they flow through the conduit, the centrifugal force on the trash and fibers causing the trash to be propelled outwardly and seek a path along the outer curved portion of the conduit while the fibers tend to flow through the inner portion thus dividing the trash and fibers into separate streams, opposite sides of said conduit diverging towards the discharge end while the other opposite sides converge, a trash box into which the conduit discharges the trash and fibers, and a divider in the trash box for dividing the stream of trash from the stream of fibers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,276,355 Henry Aug. 20, 1918 1,721,036 Pettit July 16, 1929 2,681,476 Van Doom June 22, 1954 2,867,850 Mayer et al. Jan. 13, 1959 

